Life-preserver.



C GOODUNG.

LIFE PRESERVER.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 1.19m.

Patented Nov. 19, 1918'.

2 SHEETSSHEEI 1- C. GOODUNG.

LIFE PRESERVER.

APPUCAHON FILED FEB. 1. 1918 11: mans PElE-B Q1. mmlmum. wwmmm. a a

CLAYTON eoonnrne,

LIFE-PRESEBVER..

Application filed February 1,1918. Serial No. 214,924.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLAYTON GoonLINc, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Preservers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in life preservers and particularly to that type having a propelling means whereby a person equipped with the life preserver may, when direction of land and keep himself afloat in heavy seas.

The object of this invention is the provision of a life preserver of this character which has a collapsible frame that permits the preserver to be collapsed and folded into a compact bundle or package.

Another objectof'this inventionis to im- Y prove the construction of life preservers and to provide a pivoted frame which will'permit the preserver to be collapsed when not in use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a life preserver equipped with air sacks removably secured thereto which serve to hold the preserver afloat when in water.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a skeleton frame in which is rotatably mounted a shaft having a propeller at one end and means located in the frame and engaging the opposite end of the shaft for when in the water.

Another object of this invention is to provide a frame having removably secured to the exterior air sacks, which air sacks have secured at their meetlng ends a tube which has both ends open to form a ballast to hold the life preserver in an upright position when in the water.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a lifepreserver of this character which will be simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive in construction and one that can be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1n the water, propel himself in the rotating the propeller and shaft OE BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

Patented Nov. 19, 1918.

With these and other objects in View, the lnvention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and set forth in the claims ereto appended.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my im proved life preserver as made in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same.

ig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the frame in folded position. i

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner in which the air sacks are secured to the exterior of the frame.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view partlybroken away.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

, Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates the life preserver in its entirety and it comprises a frame formed of wood metal or the like. The frame comprises a plurality of bowed. or arcuate shaped members 6 which members are arranged in spaced pairs. Each pair of bowed members 6 has one of its ends reduced and provided of suitable metal and includes outer'sections 10 and an intermediate section 11. The intermediate section 11 is journaled through the openings of the memb 12 into the inner end of each of the outer sections 10 of the bolt, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

outwardly when in a set up position. The bolt 9 is constructed ers 6 and each end of the intermediate section is hinged as at plurality of links are arranged in pairs,

each pair being pivotally secured l)? one I shaft and bowed inei'nbers end to one pair of the members 6, as at 1T, slightly above the lugs 13. The free ends or the pairs of he is 15 are provided With alined openings through; which the sectional shaft 18 is adapted to extend. The sectional shaft 18 pivotall connects the pairs of links 15 together and permits them to be moved bodily upwardly when the bowed members are moved in the direction 01 each other. The links are adapted to be extended in a substantially horizontal plane when the said members are moved out-wardl troin one another and the under edges of the links rest upon the inclined surfaces 1-; o" thelugs 13, thus the shaft 18 is suppo "cc and the Weightand strain of the shait i equalized on the n'ieinbers 6 and lugs.

The sectional diate portion 19. and end portions 20. The end portions '20 have their inner ends hinga edlv connected as at 2L to each end ot';tl1e intermediate, portion 19, as clearly {illustrated in Fig. T his hinge 521 permits the 6 to be folded longitudin-all; after they have been collapsed in the direction of each other.

The rear end of the shaft 13 has secured thereto a suitable propeller 22- and secured to the other end. of the shalt a bevel gear 2? The bevel gear is adapted to mesh with a bevel gear 524: secured to the lower end of the vertical shaft which is rotatably mounted in a U-shaped frame 26. Tl e lilll'fle 26 is adapted to be supported adjacent the torvmrd end of the-life preserver and is secured between the'opposing faces of one'pair or" the members 6. 26 is supported between the opposing tace of one pair of the members 6 by suitabl brackets 27 which are secured to theexterior ot the arrows of the trams adjacent the lower ends thereof. These brackets are adapted to cooperate with the brackets 28 secured tot-he opposing faces of one pair of the The members 6, and the brackets 27 and are ren'iovably connected together by suitable bolts 29 and nuts 30. V

A bolt 3118' loosely mounted through one arm of the {T213116 ,adgacent thejlcwer end thereof-and beneath one of the brackets 27 and has secured to its outer-end-a plate 32.

the plate 32 is-adapted i L to aline. with a plate 33 carried by one of be members below wardly and outwardly inclined "faces ll. A

faces of: the arms of the bracket 28. The plates 32 and 83 are pivotally connected together at 3i and this permits the tranie to be moved in the direction of one side of the frame when the bolts 29 are removed from the brackets 27 and 28, respectively, as clearl illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

A bracing arn 35 issecured between the opposing faces of the arms of the frame 23 adjacent the upper end thereof and rotatablyrecei'ves the shaft 25 therethrough. 1i bevel gear 36 is secured to the upper end ot the shaft 25 and is adapted to mesh with the bevel gear 37 secured; to the shaft journaled in the ciitreinejupperends er" the arms of the frame 26. The 'ends ol the shaft 38 extend laterally beyond the side the trance 26 and are secured thereto bysuitable crank handles 38is rotated which in which the shaft turn rotates the shafts 25 and'l9, respectively. This rotation causesthe rotation of the propeller which urges the lite preserver forwardly through the medium of when ingthe water.

The exterior of the members 6 have secured thereto a suitable covering lflwhich is formed of rubberized cloth or other suitshatt 18 has an intermeable fabric and this coveringv forms air sacks ll which serve to hold the life preserver afloat when in the water.

The fabric covering e0 is formed of a doubled piece or cloth having its inc-dial portions secured together longitudinally thereof to provide the air sacks 4-1 and these air sacks are adapted to be located on the opposite sides of the life preserver as equipp ed illustrated in Fig. 3. The air sacks are with 1 suitable valves 42 whereby they may be inflated when in use.

-Theupper edges of theair sacks have cured thereto suitable loops e3 which are adapted to aline with the hooks 8 carried by the bowed members 6 to permit the cow er-ing to be'readily 2L1'lCl1'8l11OV2LblV secured to the exterior of the members '6.

It isto be understood that the air sacks due to their flexibility, will readily conform A to the configuration of the bowed members 7 the Water 3, as illustrated.

The central portion of the covering i0 is adapted to engage the pivoted ends of the bowed-members 6, as illustrated, and this portion 4011's provided on opposite sides of its longitudinal axis with depending flaps at whichffiaps are secured to longitudinally i extendingxtubes d5, each end of which provided with an opening v4.6 seas to permit a to freely enter into the tube when the lite preserver is placed in the water.

Thus, the tube will act as a ballast to hold the life preserver- The'forward end of the covering e0 is closed as illustrated, and to hold it in-an righted When in the water. 7

' ed to be arranged extended position so as to form a bow of a boat, or substantially so, the covering is pro videdwith a bowed member 47 which is secured therein and has itslower end terminating into an eye48 be removably arranged over the end of one end section 10 of the shaft 9, as clearly, illustrated in Fig. 2. A reinforcing member 49 is secured to the upper edge of the covering on the interior thereof and at 50 at its medial portion. tothe upper end of the member 47. The ends of this member +29 are secured to the upper ends of one pair of the members 6 as at 51. Thus, it can be seen that the forward end of thecovering 40 will be reinforced and held in an extended position when the device is being used as a life preserver.

A suitable hammock 52 is adapted to be suspended between the opposing faces of the members 6 through the medium of straps 53 which are secured by one end as at 5A to the edges of the hammock and have their free ends terminating into loops which are adaptover hooks 55 carried by of the bowed members 6 the opposing faces ends thereof.

adjacent the upper The hammock 52 is adapted to be equipped with suitable straps adapted to be passed over the shoulders of a person to stra the same against his bust and abdomen. hus, it can be seen that the device when assembled should only be approximately three and one half or four feet long and it is only necessary to inflate the side sacks 41 in any suitable manner so that when enterin the water the side sacks will keep the raft a oat and by rotating the shaft 28 through the medium of the cranks 29, the shaft 18. and propeller 22 will be rotated and the life preserver propelled in a manner similar to an ordinary boat or the like. i

It will be understood that when the device is not being used the covering 40 is entirely removed from the frame and folded in a compact bundle. The frame is then collapsed by urging the bowed members in the direction of each other, the links being moved upwardly to permit ofthis movement and after they have been urged into clamping engagement with each other they are folded through the medium of the hingedv connection of the sectional shaft and bolt; thus the device requires but a very small amount of space when not being used.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A'life preserver comprising a plurality of bowed members, a shaftjournaled through said members, a propeller on one end of the,

shaft, a gear at the opposite end of the shaft, a frame secured to one pair of said members, a shaft journaled in the frame, a gear on-the lower end of the shaft meshing with which is adapted to is connected as the gear of thefirst named shaft, a second gear secured to'the'upper end of the shaft,

site end of the shaft, a U-shaped frame secured to the opposing face of one pair of the members, means carried by the frame and 00- operating with the gear of the shaft for rotating the shaft and propeller, a hammock removably secured to the opposing faces of the frame members, and a covering constituting floats removably secured to each pair of members, as and for the purpose specified.

3. A life preserver comprising a frame including a plurality of members, said members arranged in pairs, means for pivotally connecting the pairs of members together, a plurality of links arranged in pairs and each pair pivotally secured to each pair of the members, a shaft journaled through the members and free ends of the links for pivotally connecting the links together, said shaft and means being in sections to permit of the collapsing of the members, and means located between one pair of said members for rotating the shaft and propeller, and a coverin secured to the exterior of the members and constituting air floats.

4. A life preserver comprising a plurality of members arranged in spaced pairs, a sectional bolt pivotally securing the pairs of members together, a sectional shaft, links pivotally secured to the members and jour naled in the shaft, a frame pivotally secured by said members, means located in said frame and engaging the first named shaft for rotating the latter, a hammock removably secured to the opposin faces of the members, a covering remova ly secured to and completely inclosing the exterior of said members, said covering providing air sacks which constitute floats, and a ballast tube secured to the longitudinal axis of the covering, as and for the purpose specified.

. 5. A life preserver comprising a frame including a plurality of members arranged in spaced pairs, a sectional bolt pivotally securmg each pair together, links arranged in shaft, a swinging frame pivotally and removablysecured between the opposin faces of one pair of members, means secure in the frame meshing with the'geer of the first hers, and a baiiast tube secured to the longp named shefi; for rotating the latter and the tudinellaxis of theeo erii g at fsheguncler side p 'opelle a covering removably secured to thereof.

theiexteriol of themembers and constituting In testimony whe l eofl afiix my signature 5 a floetftherefor, a frame located in the for: in presence of tw e: witnesses.

Ward end of the covering for hold ng the Y GLAYTQNGOODLINGW same extended, means for, co meetmg the frame covering to the sectional bolt at one WimeSses:

enclmthereof, a hammock removably seem-ed Skies. Towsem',

10 t0 the opposing faces of the pairs of mem: Jose;v T; FA DY,

Gupiee oiflzhie peienfi meg be ebteinefi for five eenfcs eeeh, by eelflmssingfiahe Gammiseinner, oXEeizeatg,

' Washington, D. Q. 

